Method of electronic dialog between computers, computer for electronic dialog with counterpart computer, and storage medium storing electronic dialog program executable by computer

• US 6,138,145 A
• Filed: 06/24/1998
• Issued: 10/24/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Kawanaka, Kenichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Maung, Zarni
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jaroenchonwanit, Bunjob
• Application Number:
  US09/103,719
• Time in Patent Office: 853 Days
• Field of Search: 709/204, 709/208, 709/203, 709/220, 709/223, 709/228, 706/49, 706/60, 706/61, 707/201, 348/7, 348/8, 348/12, 348/18, 348/46, 348/564, 395/701, 395/712, 395/750.01, 395/500, 395/527, 395/651, 395/726, 345/330, 345/335
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/54 Interprogram communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99952 Coherency, e.g. same view to multiple users

Abstract

When text data is transmitted from one computer to a counterpart computer, the counterpart computer displays the text data from the one computer and further displays a plurality of corresponding response buttons. By designating one of the response buttons in the counterpart computer, corresponding response data is transmitted to the one computer. This facilitates a real-time electronic dialog between the computers.

Claims

1. A method of an electronic dialog between two computers for transmitting mutual intention in real time, said computers being connected to each other via a communication network and each having an operating system with a window display function for displaying graphics and characters on a display screen, one of said computers working as a supporting-side computer, another of said computers working as a supported-side computer, said method comprising the steps of:

inputting, in said supporting-side computer, text data being a document for intention/information transmission, and transmitting said text data to said supported-side computer;

simultaneously displaying, in said supported-side computer, said text data in a script display region and a plurality of response buttons in a response button display region, said response buttons corresponding to response data, and said response buttons to be selected for responding to said text data;

designating, in said supported-side computer, one of said response buttons and transmitting said response data to said text data, to the supporting-side computer; and

displaying, in said supporting-side computer, said text data and said response data.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the inputting and transmitting step comprises the steps of:

inputting said text data in said supporting-side computer;

checking whether or not said text data exceeds a capacity of an input holding buffer of said supporting-side computer and further checking validity of said text data;

displaying said text data on said display screen of the supporting-side computer when said text data is judged to be OK at the checking step; and

transmitting said text data displayed at the last-mentioned displaying step to said supported-side computer.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first-mentioned displaying step comprises the steps of:

receiving said text data transmitted from said supporting-side computer;

checking validity of said text data received at the receiving step; and

displaying on said display screen of the supported-side computer said text data and said response buttons when said text data is judged to be OK at the checking step.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the designating and transmitting step comprises the steps of:

designating said one of the response buttons;

displaying on the display screen the response data corresponding to said one of the response buttons designated at the last-mentioned designating step; and

transmitting said response data displayed on said display screen of the supporting-side computer at the last-mentioned displaying step to said supporting-side computer.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the displaying step comprises the steps of:

receiving said response data transmitted from said supported-side computer;

checking validity of said response data received at the receiving step; and

displaying said response data along with said text data on the display screen when said response data is judged to be OK at the checking step.

6. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said response buttons corresponding to response data are input into said supporting-side computer and are transmitted with said text data to said supported-side computer for display in said response button display region of said supported-side computer.

7. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said response buttons corresponding to response data are generated in a processing function prior to display in said response button display region of said supported-side computer.

8. An electronic dialog computer having an operating system with a window display function for displaying graphics and characters on a display screen and carrying out a real-time dialog relative to a counterpart computer connected thereto via a communication network, said electronic dialog computer comprising:

an input reception/script grammar check section which is operated when said electronic dialog computer works as a supporting-side computer, for checking validity of text data being a document for intention/information transmission to be transmitted to said counterpart computer working as a supported-side computer;

a selection result notifying section which is operated when said electronic dialog computer works as the supporting-side computer, for checking validity of response data received from said supported-side computer;

a script analyzing section which is operated when said electronic dialog computer works as a supported-side computer, for checking validity of the text data received from the counterpart computer working a supporting-side computer;

a button selection result return section which is operated when said electronic dialog computer works as the supported-side computer, for outputting as said response data the contents corresponding to designated one of a plurality of response buttons displayed on the display screen;

a transmitting/receiving section for transmitting and receiving said text data and said response data relative to said counterpart computer; and

an input/display control section for displaying said text data and said response data on the display screen and, when said electronic dialog computer works as the supported-side computer, simultaneously displaying on the display screen said text data in a script display region and said plurality of response buttons in a response button display region, said response buttons corresponding to response data.

9. A storage medium for use in an electronic dialog between two computers which is for transmitting mutual intention in real time, said computers being connected to each other via a communication network, and each having an operating system with a window display function for displaying graphics and characters on a display screen, one of said computers working as a supporting-side computer, another of said computers working as a supported-side computer, said storage medium storing a program which is executable by said computers, said program allowing said computers to execute the steps of:

inputting, in said supporting-side computer, text data being a document for intention/information transmission and transmitting said text data to said supported-side computer;

simultaneously displaying, in said supported-side computer, said text data in a script display region and a plurality of response buttons in a response button display region, said response buttons corresponding to response data, and said response buttons to be selected for responding to said text data;

designating, in said supported-side computer, one of said response buttons and transmitting said response data to said text data, to the supporting-side computer; and

displaying, in said supporting-side computer, said text data and said response data.

10. A storage medium for use in an electronic dialog between a supporting-side computer and a supported-side computer, said storage medium storing a program which is executable by said computers, said program allowing said computers to execute the steps of:

In said supporting-side computer, as a first step, inputting text data to be transmitted to said supported-side computer, as a second step, checking whether or not the text data inputted at said first step exceeds a capacity of an input holding buffer of said supporting-side computer and further checking validity of said text data, as a third step, displaying said text data on a display screen of said supporting-side computer when said text data is judged to be acceptable at said second step, as a fourth step, transmitting said text data displayed at said third step to said supported-side computer;

in said supported-side computer, as a fifth step, receiving said text data transmitted from said supporting-side computer, as a sixth step, checking validity of said text data received at said fifth step, as a seventh step, simultaneously displaying on a display screen of said supported-side computer said text data in a script display region and a plurality of response buttons in a response button display region, said response buttons corresponding to response data, and said response buttons to be selected for responding to said text data when said text data is judged to be acceptable at said sixth step;

in said supported-side computer, as an eighth step, designating one of said response buttons, as a ninth step, displaying on the display screen response data corresponding to said one of said response buttons designated at said eighth step, as a tenth step, transmitting the response data displayed on the display screen at said ninth step to said supporting-side computer; and

in said supporting-side computer, as an eleventh step, receiving said response data transmitted form said supported-side computer, as a twelfth step, checking validity of said response data received at said eleventh step, and, as a thirteenth step, displaying said response data along with said text data on the display screen when said response data is judged to be acceptable at said twelfth step.